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Topic: Narconon Deaths (Read 96868 times)

Deaths At NarcononNovember 23, 1984, Jocelyne Dorfmann, 34, epileptic seizures from going off medication and lack of emergency treatment during the seizures, 12 hours after arriving at Narconon; assistant director of that center was convicted of lack of assistance to a person in danger and the Narconon center was closedNarconon Center of Grangey-sur-Ource, Dijon, France

September 14, 1990, Pius Keel, 22, left Narconon after 2 months and threw himself under a train, suicideBavarian Schliersee, Fiechhauson, Germany

January 20, 2001, Gregor Wisner, 27, attended Narconon in Chilocco, was later found dead in the Gulf of Mexico, drowned, with cocaine in his system. His father was Narconon spokesperson R. Michael Wisner; he had disconnected from Gregor, and did not even attend his funeral.Narconon Chilocco, Oklahoma, US

October 8, 2002, Frederica, 33, program phase unknown, stomach pains on October 7, 2002, driven to a first aid station in Meledugno, given painkillers, worsened, admitted to hospital in a coma, and died at the hospital soon after admission, peritonitis according autopsy, lack of medical attention in timeTorre dell'Orso, Italy

There is more information about the deaths above in the posts that follow. We do not know if these are all of the Narconon deaths; these are just all we know about. If you know of one that is not included here, please let me know so I can update the list. I hope there won't be another occasion to need to do that, but I fear there will, until Narconon and all of its clones are shut down.

Overdose and Other Related Deaths After Attending NarcononNote: I've decided to add the drug overdose deaths of people who went to Narconon because while they didn't die as a direct result of being in Narconon's care, Narconon does claim that they are a "cure" for addiction. They are not. The following list is evidence of that.

November 18, 1990, Frederica Gardini, (daughter of Maria Pia Gardini), 29 (and OT7), AIDS, contracted after using an infected needle given to her by someone while she was at Narconon.

April 2, 1998, Rob Pilatus, 32, overdose combination of alcohol and prescription pills, soon after having left Narconon.

Died May 28, 2000 (?) and found on July 6, 2000, Cory Marvin Erving, 19, drowned when his car went off the road and landed in a retention pond. Trace amounts of cocaine were found in his system, but it was determined not to be in sufficient quantities for it to have caused the accident. Sheriff Don Eslinger said the amounts indicated that he had ingested the drug within two or three days of the accident. The accident was approximately a week after he left Narconon.Narconon Arrowhead, Canadian, Oklahoma

Nov. 11, 2008, David Reed Austin, 37, committed suicide about a year after leaving Narconon, where he was employed as a "Word Clearer".Narconon Arrowhead, Canadian, Oklahoma

March 12, 2010, William David Vantrease Jr., 27, suicide after relapsing. He had been staff at Narconon StoneHawk and A Forever Recovery, for about 4 years combined.A Forever Recovery (A Narconon Clone run by Per Wickstrom), Battle Creek, Michigan

April 6, 2012, Costas George Raikos, 46, overdose, had been staff at Narconon Arrowhead for a number of years, but had recently left and moved back to his hometown.Narconon Arrowhead, Canadian, Oklahoma

Other People's Deaths as a result of someone close to them having been to NarcononSept. 10/11, 2007, Mary Heather Spencer, 28, killed by boyfriend George Bell III in a drunken rage just days after leaving Narconon. He then kidnapped Spencer's roommate at gunpoint. George Bell pleaded guilty February 2008 and admitted to kidnapping, sexually assaulting, then beating and strangling his girlfriend to death. He was sentenced to life without parole on the murder charge, and 30 years for the kidnapping. He cried as he read his apology statement to Heather’s mother, Linda Francomb, and Heather’s brother, Xan. Narconon Arrowhead, Canadian, Oklahoma

January 14th, 2012, Robert Gallion, age unknown, stabbed to death by his son Harris who had been taken off psychiatric medication while at Narconon and then was dumped on the street by Narconon when he got out of control.Narconon Vista Bay, Watsonville, California

I have caught up to adding everything posted in this thread up until this post on December 13, at least the ones for which we have details.

The original start to this thread, before the lists were added.Narconon has been widely criticized for its dangerous detox ritual. Other recurring problems are use of drugs and alcohol by staff and students, lack of proper medical care, and withheld prescribed medication. Some have given up their lives instead of the drugs.

Pius Keel, a confirmed Scientologist of 22, ended his stay at the Schliersee tragically. He got himself into deep debt for his community. After some time at Narconon he complained to his mother about the barefaced swindle. Narconon is only about money, he said. On September 14, 1990, after less than two months at Narconon, Pius packed his bags and threw himself under a train.

TACENO (Lecco) - "Why don't you say instead that we saved 1.200 people from drugs?" Angela, an assistant of the Narconon community in Taceno, Valsassina, protests.

Last night another guest of the center, the second, died at the hospital in Lecco. Paride Ella, 22 from Grassobbio (Bergamo), ceased to live after a 5 days agony. He had similar symptoms - vomit and diarrhoea - as the ones felt by Giuseppe Tomba, 26 from Solaro (Milano). But for him there even wasn't enough time to call a doctor.

The <<dianetic>> community - rehabilitation from drugs through purification courses, vitamins and minerals <<to get rid from negative entities>> - is not provided with medical service, and the doctor of the village just established that Giuseppe's heart wasn't beating anymore. The two young men were at the beginning of the therapeutic path, the vitamins phase.

This excerpt is from the French Parliamentary Report on Cults of 1995.-----------------------------------The County Court of Dijon, in a judgement of January 9, 1987 (No 118-87), condemned the assistant-director of the Narconon center of Grangey-sur-Ource for lack of assistance to a person in danger. This center, created by the Church of Scientology, proposes cures of detoxication by applying the methods of Ron Hubbard, namely the "purification rundown", based mainly on several hours of sauna per day, "auditing" and a significant absorption of vitamins.

In this case, the victim was a long time epileptic and had been addressed to this organization because she wished "to be released from the drugs". The center, without preliminary medical examination, placed her in a room of "weaning". However, the medical expertises showed that the death was due to "a state of epileptic seizures due to the absence of sufficient handling in its beginning and emergency treatment during the seizures."

The judgement does not leave any doubt about the responsibility of the center...

CODY BATES hanged himself at the San Francisco SBDC New Life Center Criminon facility on August 27, 2008. He'd been admitted to the facility on August 24th and began detox the next day. During the first day of detox, he had been administered medication with known side effects that included suicidal ideation to help facilitate the detox. Cody's mother thought he was under medical care and asked SBDC New LIfe Staff to provide 24 hr suicide watch of Cody because of statements he made to staff indicating he might commit suicide. The staff promised to keep a watchful eye but did not follow through and Cody was found on the 27th to have committed suicide. Apparently there was no medical personnel at the facility either.

Hello. My name is Cody Bates. I was apart of the original indictment that first landed Jon in jail. His co-defendant to be exact. Now that my legal troubles are behind me, I feel that I can have more of an out right voice as one of Jon's home base supporters. There are few people in the world today who mean more to me than our friend Jon does. He, long ago, surpassed the title of friend to me and became my brother. I'm sure most of you know of the torturous underworld that Jon became apart of once he was arrested; however Jon was not alone. In the beginning I was physically there with him. Jon makes no exaggeration of the conditions of the Arizona legal system. NONE. Joe Arpaio is riding the crest of a dehumanizing wave of facism. We are all lesser people for allowing Arpaio to stay in power.

My thoughts turn to Jon on this Fourth of July Day because it was on this day in 1994 that I lost my oldest brother, Rick. I was 17 at the time and if he were alive today he would be 42. Not long after his death I wrote a little something that I call "Brotherhood." I've shared it with Jon and I will end by sharing it here today.

Brotherhood Written on 11.9.94 in memory of Rick Bates 7.4.94

In the name of truth I ask no more. In the vain of youth there is a common core. That has no name and bares no soul, yet a heart pumping blood black as coal. As cold as ice the fire burns on. No trust in God, my faith is gone. So much evil enslaves the good. Alone I fall, alone I stood. I have no fear nor feel the love I should, and believe in only one thing Brotherhood.

My sincerest regards to you, Daisy and to all the other people who knew and loved Cody.

Love, Sekh.

Reading this topic I remembered a fairly recent case of someone dying at Narconon in Zutphen, Holland too. I copied an English translantion of the Dutch article from ESMB.(Thanks, AnonKat). Another one for the list that is already far to long.

ZUTPHEN - Director Joanna Kluessien of private rehab Narconon Zutphen does not exclude anything when it comes to the unexpected death of the 30-year-old Laura, Friday.

Even that the woman, despite all the restrictions, has managed drug smuggling into center at the Deventerweg. "That is the horribility of it this," said a clearly disthraught Kluessien that has broken of a study tour to Denmark to be accessible for residents and relatives.

Laura - the fictitious name out of respect for the survivors - already spent eight months at Narconon rehab program and could well cope. "She ate well and even came gained weight, she slept well, was energetic and very helpful," said Daan Reinstra, public relations officer of Narconon, about the woman who was found dead friday morning in her bed. The cause of death is still unknown, but Kleussien and Reinstra do not exclude a drug-related cause. "Residents can be under guide going to the city but you can not people here 24 hours a day. The doors are always open and the stuff is everywhere available."

Narconon will seize the tragic incident for an even more intensive campaign against drugs. "We want to spread more information about what drugs can do. Because it is easier to deter youth from the start than getting them to stop using it. You can not warn children young enough. Its use seems increasingly to be accepted in our society, it looks stranger not to take pills than not. We're going to fight harder to eradicate drug use. Something like this should never happen again, we will do anything to make that happen. "

For the other (25) residents of Narconon is the death of Laura, a harsh lesson, says Kluessien. "They're shaken, talk about it a lot. They are back to face the facts. We also state." Laura initially used heroin, speed, and later subotex (pills), until she ended up at Narconon. Whether she was completely clean Kluessien dare not say.

Kluessien is very pleased with the way the Zutphen police dealing with the death of Laura. "Very thorough and compassionate. They want to get to the bottom too about what led to her dead. That is what we want. And if becomes clear she used something weonly hope that the person who the stuff was from is picked up." That has to be a Zutphen dealer acording to Kluessien . The residents spend a few days in their own way of attention to the death of Laura, who will be buried in Greece - her country of origin - . "We're going to make a flower arrangement and will have a rememberance with a selected group people.

Apparently this lady had spent 8 months at Narconon, and the director wasn't sure if she was really clean. After 8 months in rehab one should be clean, right? Specially if the program normally only takes three months. This makes me presume she was a student-turned-staffmember living there. A foreign national, probably with drugs- or other crimes on her record would never get a working permit, specially in a rehab-facility. No working permit, no legal stay in the country after three months. Only prolonged treatment would be a reason to legally extend her stay in Holland. So they passed her of as a student to the police.

Nobody stays that long, except staff-members. But having illegal staff-members dying on drug overdoses in your center will immediately end your valuable contract with the Justice Department to resocialize convicts. Trouble-trouble, puzzle-puzzle. What would Hubbard do? Find an acceptable truth, like "she was still a student here". Well done, Joanna!

This is not the first time somebody died there. Somewhere in the nineties there was another case, a Dutch girl. But I don't remember the details on that one. Still, I hope this info is useful.

Sekh

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A slogan a day keeps the thinking away! (Agent Orange) AND WHERE IS HEBER JENTZSCH?

I am sad to announce that this was a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit. on Tuesday, March 3, 2009, Kaysie Dianne Werninck died of double pneumonia due to gross negligence on the part of Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma staff, who failed to get her the medical attention she needed and asked for but was prevented from receiving by Narconon until it was too late.

Petition Filed by Plaintiffs Werninck on behalf of deceased Narconon "student" Kaysie Werninck. This was a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit. on Tuesday, March 3, 2009, Kaysie Dianne Werninck died of double pneumonia due to gross negligence on the part of Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma staff, who failed to get her the medical attention she needed and asked for but was prevented from receiving by Narconon until it was too late. She died at EUFAULA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Mc Intosh co aka Community Hospital Lakeview, in Eufaula, OK. This case settled in this past spring. This case settled in this past spring. Here are the only filings I was able to obtain:

Aug 2011 UPDATE: THIS CASE SETTLED:Docket04/01/2011 F&E CT. MIN. OF 3-28-11. COMES ON FOR MOTION HEARING. RULING PARTIES ANNOUNCE CASE HAS SETTLED. BY AGREEMENT, CASE IS STRICKEN FROM THE MAY 2011 JURY DKT. JOURNAL . ENTRY TO BE SUBMITTED WITHIN 20 DAYS OF THIS DATE. S/BLAND 04/15/2011 F&E MOTION TO ENFORCE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT 04/28/2011 F&E DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE. -------------------------------------------------

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I am a volunteer advocate for victims of the Narconon scam. I am a former scientologist. I post anonymously. Mary McConnell is my long time nom de plume. Feel free to contact me for assistance in righting the wrongs.

Patrick W. Desmond at Narconon of Georgia:http://forum.reachingforthetippingpoint.net/index.php/topic,8408.0.htmlPatrick was required by the court to attend a drug rehab in lieu of being sentenced to jail. His parents researched their options on the internet, where Narconon dominates search engine results, and sent him to Narconon of Georgia, after Narconon of Georgia assured both the drug court in Florida and his parents that they met the court's requirements of residential treatment and monitoring of clients. Patrick was allowed to leave the rehab residence on one night in June 2008 and go with 2 former clients to procure and use heroin. Patrick was rushed to the hospital that night after he stopped breathing and turned blue, but efforts to reverse his condition were fruitless and he died the following day. Narconon of Georgia was running the residence for their clients without a license. Patrick Desmond was 28 years old.

On October 25, 2011, Gabriel Graves complained of a very terrible headache, a worsening continuation of the one from the day before. It started after he began going into the sauna part of the Narconon drug program he'd gone to in order to get help with his addiction. He had been sweating for hours a day after taking the daily increasing amounts of of vitamins - the combination of which, according to the materials he was made to study, were to remove drugs and toxins from his body. He complained about his headaces and his pain, and asked for pain relief but was denied any each time. Instead, he was told to get back into the sauna. The following morning, Gabriel was found dead in his bed. The condition of his body indicated that Gabriel might have suffered an aneurysm or a stroke. Gabriel Graves was 32 years old.

These deaths were preventable. people go to rehab to be helped. It's supposed to be a safe and secure place. No one sends their loved one to a rehab to die but with Narconon people just don't alwayts know what they are getting into. I protest and help expose Narconon to help prevent these deaths and medical problems that have happened on the program.

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I am a volunteer advocate for victims of the Narconon scam. I am a former scientologist. I post anonymously. Mary McConnell is my long time nom de plume. Feel free to contact me for assistance in righting the wrongs.

I am always grateful for my family, and maybe a little bit more aware of that fact this time of year as we get together. I guess I'm having a but for the Grace of God moment.

One has to wonder what the outcome would have been for these young people had they found a reputable treatment center.

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I am a volunteer advocate for victims of the Narconon scam. I am a former scientologist. I post anonymously. Mary McConnell is my long time nom de plume. Feel free to contact me for assistance in righting the wrongs.

I really don't know if they know what shame is? All of this is so very sad. I feel blessed to bealive and perhaps help someone not go though what so many have. <***O***> (Tears) forall the grieving families and loved ones.

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An Ol' Irish Quote:“You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”

Right place or not you have done a great service to all who desire to see this national fraud exposed @ every turn. We MUST hammer home to our elected and appointed government officials that this criminal enterprise be stopped for the good of society.

I hate to sound like a broken record (lol, remember them?) but - HOW MANY will have to die before something is done about these Narconon Fresh Start / New Life Detox, Drug, and Alcohol Rehab / Treatment / Education Programs, with their claims of "holistic", non-12-step, and secular methods that treat the whole person and teach them to live a drug-free life, and blah-de-blah-de-blah? Edit: Oh, yes, and let's not forget the AMAZING success rate... <grrrr>